4 Housed in a 120-year-old church, Crooked Tree Arts Center has been home to northwest Michigan's cultural development for almost half a century, offering art exhibits, classes, and dance and music performances. crookedtree.org

5 In Bay Harbor's marina, choose among 60-plus beer varieties in the fun, faux-nautical saloon Knot Just a Bar.knotjustabar.com

5 Saugatuck's Belvedere Inn features 10 guest rooms in a restored 1913 mansion; the window seat in the third-floor Windsor Room invites curling up with a book after a long day at the beach. thebelvedereinn.com

Door County, Wisconsin

Roughly 75 miles long and 10 miles across, the Door Peninsula offers more than 300 miles of shoreline to explore, along with charming small towns such as Ephraim, Fish Creek, Egg Harbor and Sister Bay. doorcounty.com

Duluth

As the gateway to Minnesota's North Shore vacationland, Duluth lures visitors who come for outdoor adventure, the glamour of 1900s-era lumber-boom mansions and breathtaking views of Lake Superior. visitduluth.com

Five Fun Stops

1 Duluth's 135-foot-tall Aerial Lift Bridge (pictured) rises more than 20 times each day for sailboats and skyscraper-length ships traveling between Lake Superior and Duluth Harbor. dot.state.mn.us

2 Check out the freshwater critters (gigantic sturgeon, otters, trout) at the two-story Great Lakes Aquarium.glaquarium.org

4 At Vikre Distillery, Lake Superior water goes into craft products like aquavit, a Scandinavian liquor spiced with cardamom and caraway. vikredistillery.com

5 The beautiful Park Point Beach lies on a sandy swath of land separating Lake Superior from the Duluth harbor. Watch the ore boats come and go or brave the lake's temps and frolic in the water. visitduluth.com

2 Superior Hiking Trail heads all the way north to the Canadian border; stop in the Two Harbors store and office for trail information and recommendations. shta.org

3 Everyone will tell you to stop for pie at landmark Betty's Pies. Everyone is right. bettyspies.com

4 Local specialties star at the Vanilla Bean Cafe, where you might have Norwegian crepes with blueberries and raspberries for breakfast, wild rice fish chowder for lunch or pan-fried lake trout for dinner. thevanillabean.com

5 Highlights of Gooseberry Falls State Park (14 miles northeast of Two Harbors) include an outstanding visitors center, waterfalls (pictured) and easy trails. It's one of eight fabulous state parks along the North Shore. dnr.state.mn.us

South Haven, Michigan

Shops and restaurants abound in the historic downtown area, while a paved trail with signs recounting the village's history follows the waterfront to the Michigan Maritime Museum, home of an 1810 replica sloop. southhaven.org

Five Fun Stops

1 Buy a box of fresh blueberries or pick your own at DeGrandchamp Farms, one of Michigan's largest blueberry farms. degrandchamps.com

2 Flower gardens surround Yelton Manor B&B, across the street from the beach and within a 10-minute walk to downtown shops and restaurants. yeltonmanor.com

3 A few blocks from Lake Michigan, the rehabbed 1920s Victoria Resort Bed and Breakfast features spacious guest rooms, many with whirlpool tubs and fireplaces. Adults only. victoriaresort.com

Munising, Michigan

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore steals the show, but this Upper Peninsula town on Lake Superior delivers on other adventures, too. munising.org

Five Fun Stops

1 On Munising Bay Shipwreck Tours, look up to see a lighthouse or down through glass viewing wells to see shipwrecks. shipwrecktours.com

2 Sandstone cliffs streaked by minerals, dunes, beaches, waterfalls and forested shoreline stretch for more than 40 miles in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (pictured) between Munising and Grand Marais. nps.gov/piro

3 Kayak tours with outfitters like Paddling Michigan put things in perspective, with guides leading paddlers under overhangs and past waterfalls. paddlingmichigan.com

4 Dine among thousands of books lining the shelves at Falling Rock Cafe and Book Store, which has gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options as well as specialties such as smoked whitefish. fallingrockcafe.com

5 Our pasty from Muldoon's Pasties came fresh from the oven with a flaky crust, tender beef and nicely textured veggies. Enjoy your traditional Michigan treat on the porch, on picnic tables on the lawn or to go. muldoonspasties.com

Lake Erie shore, Ohio

1 Cedar Point Amusement Park/Resort (pictured) in Sandusky has a mix of modern thrill rides (18 roller coasters!) and old carnival classics. cedarpoint.com

2 Attractions at Kelleys Island include the state park (for the rental yurts and fabulous beach), fishing spots and Victorian B&Bs. By ferry, 20 minutes from Sandusky or Marblehead. kelleysislandchamber.com

3 The bird-watching enclave of Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, 25 miles east of Toledo, has walking trails and observation towers. friendsofmageemarsh.org

4 Explore the original late-19th-century wine cellar at Port Clinton's Mon Ami Restaurant and Historic Winery, sample from a huge selection of estate and hand-selected wines, then stay for lunch. monamiwinery.com

5 Rent a kayak and explore on your own, or sign up for a tour with Kayak the Bay Ltd. in Put-in-Bay. kayakthebay.net

4 Explore the region's Gunflint Trail—a 55-mile-long road running from Grand Marais to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness—and stop at the Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center, with exhibits on the trail and the area's natural history. gunflint-trail.com

5 Loon Lake Lodge, one of the Gunflint Trail's best-kept dining secrets, serves up classic resort charm and hearty fare in a small dining room. visitloonlake.com

3 We love the combined luxurious B&B and top-notch winery and vineyard at Chateau Chantal, on the Old Mission Peninsula north of Traverse City. chateauchantal.com

4 Grand Traverse Pie Company serves some of the area's best home-style fruit pies. gtpie.com

5 Among the most popular of the region's many farm markets, Gallagher's Farm Market and Bakery serves up an authentic country experience along with fresh cherries, baked goods and produce. gallaghersfarmmarkettc.com

Alpena, Michigan

One of northeast Michigan's bigger towns, Alpena borders Lake Huron and offers the top-notch Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center as well as a variety of other activities focused on the water. visitalpena.com

Five Fun Stops

1 A huge menu of healthy, flavorful sandwiches, wraps and salads makes Fresh Palate one of Alpena's best places to eat. freshpalategourmet.com

2 Explore the rich (and often tragic) history of the Great Lakes' shipping industry at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center (pictured), part of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. thunderbay.noaa.gov/

3 Put on your explorer's cap and cross a bridge to Island Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, with trails, fishing docks and a surprising amount of wildlife, all in the middle of the Thunder Bay River. michigan.org

4 Hop aboard a glass-bottom boat and let a guide with Alpena Shipwreck Tours take you for a tour of 19th- and early 20-century shipwrecks visible in the crystal-clear Thunder Bay waters. alpenashipwrecktours.com

5 At Cabin Creek Coffee, the joe is smooth and rich, but so are the other choices: lattes, chais and specialty drinks. Enjoy one with berry-studded scones. cabincreekcoffeealpena.com

4 Try to visit South River Vineyard at sunset, when the views are spectacular. About 10 miles south of Geneva-on-the-Lake, this winery is housed in a classic, white-steepled church, where the sun streams into the tasting room through stained-glass windows. southrivervineyard.com

5 The Lakehouse Inn and Winery (pictured), one of the area's only wineries on the lake, features a glassed-in tasting room with great views of Lake Erie, as well as cottages, a B&B and restaurant. thelakehouseinn.com